Water-meter.



' H. I. DILTS.

WATER METER.

` APPLICATION FILED DEC. I3' IQII Lg@ Patented May 11, 1915.

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H. l| DILTS.

WATER METER. APPLICATION FILEDl DEC.13. 191i 1913816401, A Patented May 11, 1915.

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HENRY I. DILTS, OF LONG IAND CITY, NEVI I YORK, ASSIGNOR TO NEPTUNE METER COMPANY, 0F NEW YORK, N.- Y., A CORPORATION 0F NEW JERSEY.

WATER-METER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY I. l)ii.'rs, a'

.meters orwater meters in which a high duty metering device and a low duty metering device are combined 'in one structure, the How of the water through one or the other of these devices being determined by means operated by .variations in the pressure differ- Various -structures of this general have proved more or less satisfactory in use where the conditions are not such as to require an unobstructed, straight flow through the meter, from inlet to outlet, for fire purposes. They have generally been constructed, however, in such manner as to re uire the interposition of parts between the inlet and the outlet which cause a substantial loss of head or might prevent the passage through `the meter of heavy bodies which, remaining inthe meter, would obstruct the flow.

The object of this invention is to produce a meter of the general class referred to which shall show no substantial loss of accuracy at the time of the change'from low duty flow to high duty'low, or vice versa, and` shall permit a free and unobstructed straight fiow through the meter, from inlet to outlet, without loss of head andwithout liabilityof becoming clogged by' heavy bodies caught in the meter under conditions of high duty flow.

In accordance with the invention the -improved meter has a straight path of flow from the inlet to the outlet under high duty conditions, the low duty metering devices and the high dutymetering devices being placed outside of `the straight path of iow' under high duty conditions. The low duty metering device is preferably of the positive displacement type while the high duty metering device is of the proportional type, the total volume of water which, under high duty conditions passes through the meter, being determined by accurate measurement ofI a portion of the flow. Improved means are also provided for determining the flow through one or the other of the metering de-` vices without substantial loss of accuracy at the time of change from one to the other.

, The invention will be more fully eX- plained hereinafter with reference to the ac-y companying drawings in which it is illustr'ated and in which- Figure 1 is a top view of a meter which embodies the invention. Fig. 2 is a view of the vsame in longitudinal section-on the ir-` regular plane indicated by the broken line 2 2 of Fig. 1,- theparts-being represented in thel positions which they assume under conditions of high duty flow. Fig. 8 is a view in longitudinal section on the irregular A Specification of Letters Patent. `Patent-9d flay 11, 1915? l Application filed December 13, 1911. Serial No. 665,494.

plane indicated by the broken lineB--B of Fig. 1, the parts being in the positions which they assume under conditions of low duty flow., Fig. 4 is a `detail view, on a larger' scale, of the high duty valve shownl in Figs. 2 and 3. Fig. 5 is a detail view in section -on` the plane indicated by the broken line 5 5 of Fig. 3, showing a device which may be employed for creating a pressure differential.

The casing a, provided with an inlet b and an outlet c, both of substantially equalarea, is preferably formed so as to accommodate within it both of the metering devices Z and e, the forme-r for low duty and the latter for high duty. These two metering devices may be arranged in any convenient manner, being shown in the drawings as arranged side by side in the upper', forward portion of the casing. The metering devices l and c may be of any suitable character. As shown, the low duty metering device (Z is a positive metering device, preferably a displacement or disk metering device and measures the whole flow underlow duty conditions. The high duty metering device e is also shown as a displacement or disk metering device, but as adapted to measure a proportional part of A While the W 'duty chamber a3 communicates through a port a8 With the chamber a,

\ tothe'rear of the teransverse Wall a5.' An

inlet nozzle f, the area in cross section' of which is substantially equal to the area of the outlet c is mounted in the inclined 'Wall a and is of smaller diameter than the inlet*- opening b', an annular opening being thus left around the inlet nozzle f through Whichpj the' Whole volume of the Watermay pass from the inlet b to the chamber as and through-the lovv duty measuring device, or through which a portion of the water may pass to the chamber a4 andthrough the high duty metering device e, the inclined Wall a assisting to divert a portion of the ioW, under high duty conditions, to the chamber a4.

-'The Wall a5 supports a sleeve g Which-has an area in 'cross section substantially equal to that of the inlet nozzle f and to that Yof the outlet c, .and supports and forms a` seat` for the valve Which prevents straight ioW through the meter 'under loW duty conditions and compels the floW- at such time through the low duty measuring device.

The sleeve f may be provided With a small pivoted flap f to assist in creating some -pressure differential under conditions of high duty flow .and in diverting from the direct path through the meter a sufficient. portion of the total flow to actuate the hlgh dutymetering device.

A valve tivhich, under conditions of loW duty flow, closes the direct path through the meter, 4coperates With the sleeve g Which forms the valv'eseat and also supports the valve. The 'valve itself comprises a main part It and a relatively movable part h2,"

vwhich forms an extension ,from the mainpa'rt and enters Withinthe sleeve g With a' -good Working fit so that the valpe may move as a whole to some extent be 1o re the escape of' Water through the sleeve g 1s pervrnitted. The part ft2 is movable transversely J With respect to the main part Z1. so that it shall fit properly Within they sleeve g, With- 'out binding, ev'en if the main part h should be displaced' slightlyy through Wear ofthe supporting devices or from any other cause. To permit lsuch relative movement of the 'extension ZL?, it may be held to the main part ZL by bolts its secured to the extension h2 and smaller in diameter than/the holes h* in the main part h through Which they pass, as shown'clearly in Fig. 4.

The valve h' is pivotally mounted on a i quadrant or bell crank z' which is pivoted at i on the sleeve g. 'In the other armof the quadrant or bell crank is mounted a shaft Z1; which vcarries at its ends, on oppo-` site sides'of the sleeve g,-Weights which, as

shown in Fig. 3, `keep the valve t closed against the pressure of the Water Within the meter until the pressure dilferentialjrises to lthe predetermined degree for permitting high duty flow. One of such weights-is .shown at lo in'Figs. 2 and 3. The other Weight, if'used, is mounted in a corresponding manner andneed not be shown. Mounted tol move With the quadrant or bell 'crank Z v isa cam quadrant Z formed 'With a slot or `groove Z which isconcentric with the shaft z" for'the greaterpart of its length but has at one end a jog or os'et Z2. A lever fm, pivoted at m, has-a projecting 'roller .m2 which enters the cam slot Z. The lever m is operatively connected, as by a link ma, With al valve n Whichl controls communication between the chamber as of the 10W duty metering device and the discharge chamber a.

The valve n may be offany suitablecharacterwhich will permit it to be opened or closed quickly. It is shown in Fig.' 3 of the dra-Wings as a butterfly valve pivoted at n ina valve boX 0`Which is interposed between i the chamber a8 and the discharge chamber a, is covered and held in place by the cap. a1- of the casing a, land has a port o to communicate With the chamber as', and a diaphragm o2 provided with a port o3 adapted to be closed or opened by the valve n.

In the operation of the improved meter under low duty conditions the valves occupy the positions shown in Fig. 3, being held in such positions by the Weight or Weights lo.

The' diiferential pressure between the inlet A and the outlet is then so small that the valve Z1. is held to its seat byA the Weight or Weights c, thereby preventin the iow of Water in the straight path throug the meter. The Water which then flows through the meter under lthe loW pressure differential passes from the' far enough to permit the escape of Water to any material'extent. During this preliminary movement of the valve the cam quad'- rant acts upon the projection m2 of the lever m to -throiv the projection out of' the portion Z2 of the cam groove or slot into-the circular The total flow under low duty arc portion Z thereof.' Themovement of the' lever produced in this manner is 'very quick and the valve n is therefore thrown instantly from open position to closed position, vin which it is thereafter supported by the engagement of the projection m2 in the circular arc portion Z of the cam groove or slot. The closing of the valve n instantly stops the How through the low duty metering device, thereby stopping its registration. The continued high pressure differential causes the movement of the valve h to be continued `and as it continues the resistance offered by the weight or weights 1c( is reduced as the support of the weight or weights approaches the vertical plane of the axis about which the bell crank or quadrant z' moves, so that when the valve has once been openedit re-:.

mains 'open without causing any substantial loss of head. A stop 2 on the quadrant t co-` operates with a xed stop i3 to limit the opening movement of the quadrant when the valve it has been raised to its highest position, substantially above thedirect low, as

' shown in Fig. 2. When the valve h has been opened as described, a portion of thewater flows through the inlet nozzle fand straightthrough the meter, without being deiected or caused to suffer any substantial loss of head. As is well understood in the meter art the water admitted through the inlet b will lill the entire space within the meter casing, when the entrapped air has been discharged in accordance with the usual practice, notwithstanding the fact that the area of the inlet is substantially equal to the areal of the outlet- A portion of the total volume of water will therefore pass through the opening b around the inlet nozzle f into the chamber at, through the high duty, proportional metering device e, and thence through the port a7 into the intermediate 'chamber a from which it flows, with that portion of the volume of water which passes through the inlet nozzle f, through the Asleeve g into the chamber a and so through the outlet c. The area of the port or passage' b is such as to permit a substantial portion of the total iow to pass through it, so that the high duty metering device ev is operated with certainty. The proper flow of this portion of the total volume is facilitated by the inclined wall a and if necessary a pressuredierential may be created by the flap f', although no device for this purpose will be required ordinarily, When the pressure differential between the inlet and the outlet pressures fallsbelow the predetermined degree for flow under high duty conditions the valve h is reseated by' the weight or weights c. A

It will be understood that forms of metering devices other than those indicated may be employed to suit different conditions and that such metering devices may be arranged in different relations. It will also be evident that the valves and their supporting and operating connections may be varied with respect to the main part, and a lever arm to support the valve and pivotally connected to said main-part.

2. In' a meter having a and a low-duty passage the combination of a valve seat in the high-duty passage, a valve to coperate therewith, a bell crank lever mounted l above the valve seat and to one arm of which the valve is connected, a weight connected to the other arm .of the bell crank lever, a valveto control the low-duty passage, and 'means independentof said valves and actuated by the opening movement of thhighduty valve to close the low-duty va ve. Y

3. Ina meter having a low-dutypassage.

and a high-duty passage, the combination of a valve seat in the high-duty passage, a valve to coperate therewith, a bell crank lever mounted above the valve seat and to one arm of which the valve is connected, a weight connected to the other armof the bell crank lever, a valve to 'control the lowduty passage, a lever .operatively connected to the low-duty valve and a cam plate in operative relation with said last-named lever and connected to the bell crank lever to move therewith.

4'. In a meter having a low-duty passage and a high-duty passage, the combination of a'valve seat in the vhigh-duty passage, a valve to coperate therewith, a bell 'crank lever mounted above the valve seat and tov high-duty passage i one arm of which the valve is connected, a

weight connected to the other arm ofthe bell crank lever, a valve to control the lowdutyl passage, a lever operatively connected to t e low-duty valve and a cam plate having a cam slot with a concentric portion vand an offset engaged by a projection from the lever connected to the low-duty valve.

This specification signed and witnessed` this 172th day of December, A. D.1v911 HENRY, I. DIL'rs.

Signed in the presence of- W. B. GREELEY,

WoR'rI-HNGTON CAMrBELL. 

